The two most basic electronic circuits within a fiber optic transceiver are the laser driver circuit, which accepts high speed digital data and electrically drives an LED or laser diode to create equivalent optical pulses, and the receiver circuit which takes relatively small signals from an optical detector and amplifies and limits them to create a uniform amplitude digital electronic output. In addition to, and sometimes in conjunction with these basic functions, there are a number of other tasks that must be handled by the transceiver circuitry as well as a number of tasks that may optionally be handled by the transceiver circuit to improve its functionality. These tasks include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:                Setup functions. These generally relate to the required adjustments made on a part-to-part basis in the factory to allow for variations in component characteristics such as laser diode threshold current.        Identification. This refers to general purpose memory, typically EEPROM (electrically erasable and programmable read only memory) or other nonvolatile memory. The memory is preferably accessible using a serial communication bus in accordance with an industry standard. The memory is used to store various information identifying the transceiver type, capability, serial number, and compatibility with various standards. While not standard, it would be desirable to further store in this memory additional information, such as sub-component revisions and factory test data.        Eye safety and general fault detection. These functions are used to identify abnormal and potentially unsafe operating parameters and to report these to the user and/or perform laser shutdown, as appropriate.        In addition, it would be desirable in many transceivers for the control circuitry to perform some or all of the following additional functions:        Temperature compensation functions. For example, compensating for known temperature variations in key laser characteristics such as slope efficiency.        Monitoring functions. Monitoring various parameters related to the transceiver operating characteristics and environment. Examples of parameters that it would be desirable to monitor include laser bias current, laser output power, received power level, supply voltage and temperature. Ideally, these parameters should be monitored and reported to, or made available to, a host device and thus to the user of the transceiver.        Power on time. It would be desirable for the transceiver's control circuitry to keep track of the total number of hours the transceiver has been in the power on state, and to report or make this time value available to a host device.        Margining. “Margining” is a mechanism that allows the end user to test the transceiver's performance at a known deviation from ideal operating conditions, generally by scaling the control signals used to drive the transceiver's active components.        Other digital signals. It would be desirable to enable a host device to be able to configure the transceiver so as to make it compatible with various requirements for the polarity and output types of digital inputs and outputs. For instance, digital inputs are used for transmitter disable and rate selection functions while digital outputs are used to indicate transmitter fault and loss of signal conditions.        
Few if any of these additional functions are implemented in most transceivers, in part because of the cost of doing so. Some of these functions have been implemented using discrete circuitry, for example using a general purpose EEPROM for identification purposes, by inclusion of some functions within the laser driver or receiver circuitry (for example some degree of temperature compensation in a laser driver circuit) or with the use of a commercial micro-controller integrated circuit. However, to date there have not been any transceivers that provide a uniform device architecture that will support all of these functions, as well as additional functions not listed here, in a cost effective manner.
It is the purpose of the present invention to provide a general and flexible integrated circuit that accomplishes all (or any subset) of the above functionality using a straightforward memory mapped architecture and a simple serial communication mechanism.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of the essential features of a typical prior-art fiber optic transceiver. The main circuit 1 contains at a minimum transmit and receiver circuit paths and power supply voltage 19 and ground connections 18. The receiver circuit typically consists of a Receiver Optical Subassembly (ROSA) 2 which contains a mechanical fiber receptacle as well as a photodiode and pre-amplifier (preamp) circuit. The ROSA is in turn connected to a post-amplifier (postamp) integrated circuit 4, the function of which is to generate a fixed output swing digital signal which is connected to outside circuitry via the RX+ and RX−pins 17. The postamp circuit also often provides a digital output signal known as Signal Detect or Loss of Signal indicating the presence or absence of suitably strong optical input. The Signal Detect output is provided as an output on pin 18. The transmit circuit will typically consist of a Transmitter Optical Subassembly (TOSA), 3 and a laser driver integrated circuit 5. The TOSA contains a mechanical fiber receptacle as well as a laser diode or LED. The laser driver circuit will typically provide AC drive and DC bias current to the laser. The signal inputs for the AC driver are obtained from the TX+ and TX− pins 12. Typically, the laser driver circuitry will require individual factory setup of certain parameters such as the bias current (or output power) level and AC modulation drive to the laser. Typically this is accomplished by adjusting variable resistors or placing factory selected resistors 7, 9 (i.e., having factory selected resistance values). Additionally, temperature compensation of the bias current and modulation is often required. This function can be integrated in the laser driver integrated circuit or accomplished through the use of external temperature sensitive elements such as thermistors 6, 8.
In addition to the most basic functions described above, some transceiver platform standards involve additional functionality. Examples of this are the external TX disable 13 and TX fault 14 pins described in the GBIC standard. In the GBIC standard, the external TX disable pin allows the transmitter to be shut off by the host device, while the TX fault pin is an indicator to the host device of some fault condition existing in the laser or associated laser driver circuit. In addition to this basic description, the GBIC standard includes a series of timing diagrams describing how these controls function and interact with each other to implement reset operations and other actions. Some of this functionality is aimed at preventing non-eyesafe emission levels when a fault conditions exists in the laser circuit. These functions may be integrated into the laser driver circuit itself or in an optional additional integrated circuit 11. Finally, the GBIC standard also requires the EEPROM 10 to store standardized serial ID information that can be read out via a serial interface (defined as using the serial interface of the ATMEL AT24C01A family of EEPROM products) consisting of a clock 15 and data 16 line.
Similar principles clearly apply to fiber optic transmitters or receivers that only implement half of the full transceiver functions.
In addition, optical energy emitted from fiber optic transceivers is potentially dangerous to the human eye. Of particular concern are lasers, because they emit monochromatic, coherent, and highly collimated light that concentrates energy into a narrow beam. It is the energy density of this narrow beam that can harm biological tissues, particularly the eye.
The severity of harm to biological tissues depends on the amount of energy, the exposure time, and the wavelength of the light, where the eye is more sensitive to lower wavelengths. Furthermore, seeing that most light used in fiber-optic systems is infrared energy that cannot be seen, a victim might be exposed to such infrared energy without noticing it.
Therefore, to address eye-safety concerns, laser-based products are regulated by standards. In the United States, responsibility for these regulations resides in the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) of the Food and Drug Administration. Outside of the United States, the principle regulation is International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Publication 825. These regulations cover both the devices themselves and products using them.
The CDRH and IEC regulations define four classes of devices as follows:
Class I: These devices are considered inherently safe. The IEC requires a classification label, but the CDRH does not.
Class II: Class 2 lasers have levels similar to a Class I device for an exposure of 0.25 second. Eye protection is normally provided by what is called a “normal aversion response.” This means that a victim usually responds to an exposure by an involuntary blink of the eye.
Class III: Both the CDRH and IEC define two subclasses: IIIa and IIIb. Class IIIa devices cannot injure a person's eye under normal conditions of bright light. They can, however, injure eyes when viewed through an optical aid such as a microscope or telescope. For Class IIIa, the CDRH concerns only visible light, while the IEC includes all wavelengths. Class IIIb devices can injure the eye if the light is viewed directly.
Class IV: These devices are more powerful than even Class IIIb lasers. They can injure the eye even when viewed indirectly.
The abovementioned regulations use equations to determine acceptable power levels at a given wavelength as well as procedures for making measurements or estimating power levels. Most lasers in fiber optics are either Class I or Class IIIb devices. Class I devices require no special precautions. Class IIIb devices, besides cautionary labels and warnings in the documentation, require that circuits be designed to lessen the likelihood of accidental exposure. For example, a safety interlock is provided so that the laser will not operate if exposure is possible.
One safety system is called open fiber control (OFC), which shuts down the laser if the circuit between the transmitter and receiver is open. A typical OFC system continuously monitors an optical link to ensure that the link is operating correctly by having the receiving circuit provide feedback to the transmitting circuit. If the receiving circuit does not receive data, the transmitting circuit stops operating the laser, under the assumption that a fault has occurred that might allow exposure to dangerous optical levels. This system, however, requires additional sensors and/or circuitry between the transmitter and the receiver. This is both costly and ineffective where the transmitter has not yet been coupled to a receiver.
In light of the above it is highly desirable to provide a system and method for identifying abnormal and potentially unsafe operating parameters of the fiber optic transceiver, to report these to the user, and/or perform laser shutdown, as appropriate.